The Meaning of Ezekiel 23:16 Explained

Ezekiel 23:16

KJV: And as soon as she saw them with her eyes, she doted upon them, and sent messengers unto them into Chaldea.

YLT: And she doteth on them at the sight of her eyes, And sendeth messengers to them, to Chaldea.

Darby: And as soon as she saw them with her eyes, she lusted after them, and sent messengers unto them into Chaldea.

ASV: And as soon as she saw them she doted upon them, and sent messengers unto them into Chaldea.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And as soon as she saw  them with her eyes,  she doted  upon them, and sent  messengers  unto them into Chaldea. 

What does Ezekiel 23:16 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 23

1  The unfaithfulness of Aholah and Aholibah
23  Aholibah is to be plagued by her lovers
36  The prophet reproves the adulteries of them both
45  and shows their judgments

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 23:16 mean?

- She lusted for them as soon as saw them her eyes and sent messengers to them in Chaldea
[ותעגב] (וַתַּעְגְּבָ֥ה) עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַרְאֵ֣ה עֵינֶ֑יהָ וַתִּשְׁלַ֧ח מַלְאָכִ֛ים אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם כַּשְׂדִּֽימָה

[ותעגב]  - 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֵבֶה  
Sense: reed, papyrus.
(וַתַּעְגְּבָ֥ה)  She  lusted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: עָגַב  
Sense: (Qal) to have inordinate affection or lust.
עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם  for  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
לְמַרְאֵ֣ה  as  soon  as  saw  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.
עֵינֶ֑יהָ  her  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, third person feminine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
וַתִּשְׁלַ֧ח  and  sent 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
מַלְאָכִ֛ים  messengers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַלְאָךְ  
Sense: messenger, representative.
אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
כַּשְׂדִּֽימָה  in  Chaldea 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: כַּשְׂדִּים  
Sense: a territory in lower Mesopotamia bordering on the Persian Gulf.